Karmapa asked 50 questions, denies allegations

Jan 30, 2011

Category: Police Raid Jan 2011

As investigations progressed, sleuths on Sunday quizzed 17th Karmapa-Ogyen Trinley Dorje at his transit home in Gyuto Tantric monastery to trace source of huge stacks of foreign currency amounting to nearly Rs 8.5 crore recovered during two days of raid at his office. Team of sleuths from Una district arrived at Gyuto Tantric monastery to quiz Karmapa about the foreign currency, particularly the 13 lakh Chinese Yuan bundles that were neatly packed. Additional Superintendent of Police, Gopal Krishan Kapoor, handed over a set of 25 questions to Karmapa.

The questioning that started at 12:45 pm concluded at about 2 pm. “Right now all we can say is that we are not satisfied with information that we had been provided with if need be we could put more questions to the Karmapa, “ASP KG Kapoor told battery of curious newsman at premises of Gyuto Tantric Monastery. Police officials maintained that Trinley Dorje had denied any information pertaining to currency notes from 25 countries found at office of his aide Rabgay, Choesang, who had delivered money to Ashotosh and Sanjog of local businessman KP Bhardwaj for purchasing the land.

Karmapa maintained that all the money found during raids was part of offerings made by his devotees and accounts branch of office was responsible for maintaining records. Karmapa is said to have told sleuths that instead of seeking details from him, they should question the local businessman KP Bhardwaj, who sold them chunk of land.

Though police sleuths refrained from sharing details of questioning but maintained they had sought information about the money trails and land deals that had been struck by Karmae Garchen Trust headed by 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje.

In an interesting turn of events that followed simultaneous raids at Gyuto Tantric monastery and complexes of a local businessman KP Bhardwaj, during past three days, the 17th Karmapa on Sunday prior to being questioned huddled with his lawyers to chalk out a strategy. Supreme Court Lawyer VK Ohri, Naresh Mathur and former Mongolian ambassador to India Karma Thupten attended meeting.

Ogyen Trinley Dorje made a dramatic escape from Tsurphu in Tibet, at the age of 14 and reached Dharamsala in January 2000 taking Indian intelligence by surprise. Karmapa supporter Karma Thupten former Mangolian supporter held a press conference at Dharamsala to clarify that 17th Karmapa had no links with China. “It is wrong to say that Karmapa had any ties with Chinese” said Karma Thubten, adding that Karmapa had come to India since he was under pressure from China to recognize Gyaltsen Norbu as the reincarnate of 10th Panchen Lama appointed by the Chinese communist regime which rejected the boy Gedun Choekyi Nyima as next re-incarnate recognized by Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. Karmapa supporters clarified that the Ogyen Trinley Dorje had come to India 11 years back to seek spiritual guidance from Tibet’s exiled leader the Dalai Lama, even as traditionally, institutions of Karmapa and Dalai Lama had remained opposed to each other.

So far police have arrested five people in connection with money recovered from SUV that was intercepted by the local police on January 26 at the barrier at mehatpur in Una. With Karmapa aides Rabgay Choesang, Sanjog and Ashotosh in Police custody, police on Saturday arrested Bank manager DK Dhar and local businessman Kul parkash Bhardwaj.